The Combustion Club
by Mandarin Fiend
Summary: Modern AU Zuko's father is the leader of the Combustion Club gang, the largest organized crime syndicate in the entire city, but Zuko isn't cut out for a life of crime. He doesn't want to hurt people or steal things, so its a relief when he's cast out. All he wants is to be left alone, but that fiery tempered blue-eyed girl is dead set on being his friend...
1. In the Dark Alleyway

**The Combustion Club**

**Chapter 1 - In the Dark Alleyway**

Zuko felt like he was long due a break.

Normally bartending wasn't so bad, but that night they were hosting a hen's party. The maid of honour kept trying to slip him a gold coin to give the bride a 'little sugar' on her last night as a single lady.

Zuko could badly use a gold coin, but he didn't think it was worth the potential Agni Kai challenge from the bride's groom. Nor was it very honourable to sell kisses to nearly married women.

As it was, the bride kept trying to feel him up so maybe he'd have to fight that Agni Kai anyway.

When Zuko was finally able to step outside, the cool night air was a welcome change.

His head was still buzzing from the constant blare of the music and his throat was sore from having to yell to be heard above the music.

He walked a little ways down the street and into a narrow alley. He leaned against a brick building, relishing in the cool feel of the concrete against his back. This was the spot he always went to during his breaks. He was far away enough that the low rumble of the bass was replaced with car horns, and the faint buzz of people inside watching their TV's.

He could hear what sounded like a couple arguing inside the apartment above his head.

He only had two cigarettes left. Pity pay day wasn't for another three nights; he'd have to make do. Zuko tossed up in his head the idea of smoking both right now or saving them for later.

In the end he decided to smoke one of them. He was supposed to be quitting anyway.

Zuko lit the cigarette with a small flame in the palm of his hand and inhaled deeply, blowing the smoke out of his nose.

A bit further into the alleyway a door banged open and slammed shut, followed by quick footsteps. It was a young girl, and she was crying. She caught sight of him leaning against the wall and hurriedly tried to wipe her face.

"You know, those are terrible for you." her voice only wavered a little.

Zuko took a very long, _deliberate_, drag, bending the tiny embers at the end of his cigarette to burn faster, until all that was left was the butt.

He let it drop from his fingers, and gave the embers just enough a juice that there was a small burst of flame, and then only ash.

"You're a _firebender_?"she squeaked. Zuko flicked a glance at her. She was wearing a ratty blue sweater that was far too large for her with the hood up, a worn pair of jeans, and some very beat up old boots. All in all, she was a tragic-looking little thing.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." Said Zuko with a dismissive wave of his hand before crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm not scared of you," she replied completely seriously. She stepped forward into the light that the streetlamp cast and Zuko could finally see her face properly. Her eyes were a dark shade of blue and a bit puffy and red-rimmed from crying. Her skin was the colour of coffee with a generous dash of milk. She looked young, younger than him, and the expression on her face was a challenge.

"I was just surprized." She said.

"Surprized that I'm a firebender?"

"Yeah. You don't look like a firebender in that get up." She said gesturing to his uniform.

"Maybe I like orange." Retorted Zuko. He didn't. He hated orange and he hated the stupid Airbender monk outfit they made him wear. He'd drawn the line at the blue arrow headband.

"You hate it don't you?" stated the girl as if she were reading his mind. Zuko just glared at her, and she laughed. Strangely, Zuko found that he didn't really mind her laughing at him.

It was different from the way his sister used to do it.

"You work at the bar around the corner right? The Flying Sky Lemur Bar?" asked the girl, snapping him out of his train of thought.

"Bison."

"Huh?"

"It's 'The Flying Sky Bison Bar.'"

"Oh right. What's it like?" Zuko raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why do you care?"

"I was just wondering…"

"Are you even old enough to be allowed in a bar?"

"I will be in a few weeks!"

Sweet agni that meant she was seventeen. Zuko mentally shook himself, he was standing in an alleyway chatting to a seventeen-year-old girl.

"You should stay away from me." He said gruffly.

The girl looked like she was about to argue, but Zuko turned on his heel and left. He walked straight back to the bar even though he still had a good ten minutes of break left.

* * *

A few nights later she was waiting for him in the alley, trying to be inconspicuous and failing terribly.

"I know you're there." He called out, leaning against his spot on the brick wall and pulling out his last cigarette.

She crept closer to him from behind the fire escape. She wearing the same ratty blue sweater, (hood up) worn jeans, and beat up boots.

"You came back?" she said, twisting her hands together nervously.

"I always take my breaks here." Replied Zuko flippantly. Sure, he'd avoided his usual spot for a few days because he didn't want to have to deal with her, but then he decided he was being silly.

Maybe she wouldn't be there, and even is she was, she was just a little girl. Nothing to be scared of.

"What are _you_ doing here? Aren't you a little young to be out this late?"

"No, I live in this building." She replied.

"Won't your parents wonder where you are?"

"No. No one will worry about me." she said shortly.

"Right…" that was awkward. What did she expect him to say?

"What's your name?" she asked. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose wearily.

"Look kid, this isn't a good idea. I'm not the sort of person you should be hanging around. Do yourself a favour and go back inside and forget about me." The girl's eyes flashed dangerously and Zuko knew instantly that he had somehow said the complete wrong thing.

"Why do you keep saying that? Stop telling me what I should do! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself and deciding who I want to hang out with! I am not a child!" she yelled, fists balled at her side. Zuko didn't expect her to have such a fiery temper. He just stared at her in shock for a moment.

"You want to… _hang out_ with me?" he asked incredulously.

"_Yes!_ I think we should be friends!"

"Why?" asked Zuko, genuinely surprized.

"Because my _guardians _told me to stay away from you!" She said the word 'guardian' like it tasted of something horrible.

Zuko narrowed his eyes and shoved off from the wall to take a step closer to her. Now she would be able to see the other side of his face, and the horrible scar. To her credit she didn't react when she saw it.

"So you want a bad-boy bartender as a _friend _to… what?" he took a step closer, "To rebel? To show them you're all grown up?" his voice had gone all soft and dangerous.

He wouldn't have this little girl trying to use him as a pawn in whatever teenage display of parental defiance she had planned.

Of course she didn't want to be his friend. She just wanted to use him, like everybody else. Zuko let out a breath. That reasoning made much more sense to him.

"No! That isn't why!" yelled the girl sounding beyond frustrated, "If my guardians told me to stay away from you, it's because you're _exactly_ the sort of person I should hang around." She explained.

"That makes no sense." Said Zuko shaking his head.

"If you knew my guardians then it would!"

Zuko just glared at her suspiciously. She glared back for a moment, then as suddenly as it had come, all the fire drained out of her.

"Never mind this was stupid you probably don't want to be my friend." She mumbled sadly turning away from him.

"Wait a minute!" said Zuko before his brain had really thought through what he was going to do.

She paused and looked back at him with those big sad eyes and Zuko felt all his anger resentment drain away, leaving him just _tired_. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Zuko."

"What?"

"My name… It's Zuko."

Then she was smiling at him and Zuko realised with a start that she was actually kind of…_ pretty_. It was hard to tell with just a cursory glance because of the ratty clothes and the hood that obscured half her head.

"I'm Katara."

It was only when he was walking back to the bar that Zuko realized she hadn't really noticed his scar at all.

_A/N_

_This hasn't been proof read by anyone but myself so sorry for any typos. I kind of have a plan for where this will go. __Let me know if you think I should continue. _

_Thanks for reading._


	2. At the Teashop

**Chapter 2 – At the Teashop**

Zuko woke the next morning as the sun rose. He could never ignore its call, even if he worked really late and went to sleep completely exhausted.

He rolled onto his back and looked at the patterns the peeling paint made on the ceiling.

He'd been dreaming again, the same dream as always.

He was back in prison, in his cell, and the judge had changed his mind and decided that he should be in for life, but the judge wasn't a judge, it was his father. Then he was trying to dodge his father's flaming punch but he was too slow, just like in reality.

Zuko wondered if anyone else saw the irony in The Fire Lord's son getting sent to jail for something he didn't even do.

He'd been convicted of assault against his father, which was laughable considering the state of half his face. It was unheard of for a person to get three years for such a trivial transgression, but his father must have managed to bribe the right people.

He'd gone in as an idealistic, righteous eighteen year old and come out a tired, cynical twenty-one year old. Three long years of his life spent in exile.

Everybody in the police department knew who his father was; leader of the Combustion Club gang, the largest organized crime syndicate in the entire city.

He was even rumored to be a decedent from the last Fire Lord ever, Azulon. Fire Lord Azuoln died over a hundred years ago so Zuko had no idea whether the claim was true or not. He'd never heard his father say either way, but he had seemed to like the nick name it earned him.

'_Fire Lord Ozai.' Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it son?_

The police also knew there was no way they could touch him. Not only was he a ferocious firebender, lethal, brutal and uncompromising to the core, he was also very meticulous.

He never left a shred of evidence connecting himself to any crime, there was no paper trail, and he knew every loop hole the law offered. There was not a sane person alive who would want testify against him because they would undoubtedly meet an untimely and gruesome end before the court date.

It had happened a couple of times before.

It was no surprise to Zuko that no one was waiting for him when he got out of prison. He was alone in the world with no friends and no family, and he was _relieved_.

He wasn't cut out for a life of crime, he didn't want to hurt people, or steal things, but despite everything, his family was still his _family_, and his father was still his _father_, and if they had come he didn't know if he'd have had the strength to turn away from them.

* * *

Zuko must have nodded off again because he woke with a start to hear someone banging on his front door.

Bleary eyed and cringing against the bright sunlight, (he didn't have curtains yet) Zuko pulled on a pair of jeans and slipped on one of his few t-shirts.

"I'm coming!" he yelled as the banging got louder.

"What do you want?" he practically snarled, yanking the door open with much more force than was necessary.

"Good morning to you too Zuko!" it was his parole officer, who was disgustingly cheerful, as always.

"Well are you going to let me in?" he asked, moving past Zuko into the apartment without waiting for permission.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and shut the door.

When he first met his parole officer, he was surprised. He looked more like a jolly grandfather than anything else, and he acted like it too. He'd brewed Zuko a cup of tea at the police station and asked him if he knew how to play Pai Sho.

He'd been delighted when Zuko said yes, (he used to play with his mother) and insisted that Zuko just call him Iroh.

He turned around to find the old man going through his kitchen draws.

"What are you doing?"

"My dear boy, you seem to have run out of tea!" cried Iroh, sounding genuinely distraught.

"I've got coffee…"

Iroh just sighed.

"You have a lot to learn about life young man. Come with me, we'll go to a tea shop."

"But… you're my parole officer."

"Yes, I know this." replied Iroh with a smile.

"You're my parole officer and you want to take me to get _tea_?" said Zuko skeptically. Wasn't that… against protocol or something?

"If you would consent to accompany me, we need to have a chat. I thought it would be much more pleasant if we did so over a pot of delicious tea." Iroh had a slow easy way of speaking that was very soothing.

"Alright then…"

Much to Zuko's surprise there was a teashop two minutes' walk from his apartment building.

Iroh seemed to know the owner personally, and they got a table right beside the window.

"Hmm… We'll both take today's special." Declared Iroh after much deliberation.

"We are getting the jasmine tea. It is superb! You are in for a treat. Not only that, but on Saturdays they have a very accomplished pipa player entertain their customers-"

"A _what_ player?"

"A Pipa. Have you never heard of that instrument before? You know, a pear shaped guitar?" said Iroh, making movements with his hands that Zuko presumed a pipa player would make. He shook his head.

"Well it's very popular in the south and it just so happens that today is Saturday, so the pipa player should be here any minute."

"Great." Said Zuko unenthusiastically.

"Now Zuko, we must have a serious discussion about you and your future," said Iroh somberly, "The municipal of this city wants you to reform from your criminal tendencies and become a normal functioning citizen, and they have assigned me to you in the hopes that I will assist you in achieving this." Iroh stared at him steadily until Zuko nodded in acknowledgement.

"That being said, I do not believe you have criminal tendencies. I believe you are still trying to find your way," Iroh paused as their tea arrived. He thanked their server with a friendly smile before turning back to Zuko.

"I want you to know that I am here for you if there is anything you want to talk about, or if you need help with anything, okay?"

"Alright…" said Zuko uncomfortably. He wasn't used to being spoken to like this, and it was disconcerting. The last person to speak to him this way, with genuine _kindness_, was probably his mother, and he hadn't seen her since he was thirteen.

"Now, tell me how things are going." Said Iroh before taking a delicate sip of his tea.

"Fine." Replied Zuko shortly, taking a big chug of his own tea and burning his tongue in the process.

"How is your job?"

_I hate the uniform, and I hate working at night and sleeping during the day. _"Fine."

"How are you finding your apartment?"

_It's a good thing I'm a firebender or else I'd freeze at night. _"Adequate."

"What have you been doing in your spare time?"

_Training, just in case my father changes his mind and wants me back, or wants to kill me._ "Nothing."

"Nothing! Zuko, you are a young man. You should go out and have fun, make some friends."

"I made a friend last night." He blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Good for you!" said Iroh warmly. Zuko sighed.

"You don't seem very happy about it though. Why is that?" Zuko just looked at Iroh for a moment. Something about him seemed to just make you want to unburden your worries.

"The thing is, I don't think I'm a very good friend for her." He confessed.

"It's a _her_ is it?" said Iroh, waggling his bushy grey eyebrows suggestively.

"Nevermind, it doesn't matter-" snapped Zuko, suddenly angry with himself that he'd even mentioned it in the first place.

"Zuko, it does matter. Why do you think you are undeserving of her friendship?" said Iroh more seriously. He was pretty perceptive for a jolly old man. Zuko sighed and ran a hand through his hair agitatedly.

"I don't know! She's… _young_, and innocent. I don't want to… I don't want to taint anybody else with my past." Iroh chuckled.

"You are saying she is young as if you are not young yourself. How old is she Zuko?"

"Seventeen."

"And how old are you?"

"Twenty-one." But he felt so much _older_ than twenty-one. His was a peculiar brand of twenty-one, he already had so many regrets, he was already an ex-con, life had already shown him just how bad and ugly the world could be.

"And I'm sixty-four! The two of you are practically babies compared to me," exclaimed Iroh, breaking into his train of thought, "Why do you think you would not be a good friend for her?"

"Because, I'm damaged goods! I pretty much ruin everything I touch! I'll probably end up hurting her accidentally, and then she'll hate me and leave anyway. What's the point?" there was silence between them for a moment as Iroh drained the rest of his tea.

"A wise man once told me that the purpose of our lives is to be happy. If your friendship makes you both happy, then I can't see it as a bad thing. Don't deny yourself happiness for fear that it will be taken from you. Oh look! The pipa player is here."

Zuko drained the rest of his tea and mulled over Iroh's last words.

On the days when he wasn't numb, there was an aching chasm in the pit of his stomach, and Zuko knew exactly what it was: _loneliness_. Zuko imagined feeling that way for the rest of his life, and it didn't bear thinking about. Secretly, he craved affection and companionship. He wanted friends, but he was afraid they'd reject him once they figured out there was something wrong with him.

And there was something wrong with him. After all, that was why his mother left. Wasn't it?

"She's good isn't she?" said Iroh, gesturing to the pipa player.

Even though Zuko had never heard anyone play the pipa before, he had to admit, they _were_ pretty good.

He looked up, and realized with a start that the pipa player was _Katara_. She was wearing her signature blue sweater, but the hood was down and her hair was out. Zuko wondered how she managed to fit all that hair into the hood to start off with. It fell to her waist in dark brown waves.

"She's cute, isn't she?" said Iroh with a sly nudge, mistaking his slack jawed expression for admiration.

"No!" said Zuko vehemently, "I mean, I wasn't saying that she isn't, but I wasn't meaning-"

"Calm yourself boy." Said Iroh with a twinkle in his eye.

"That's the girl I was talking about, the one who wants to be my friend!" hissed Zuko in a whisper.

"I see," said Iroh seriously, "Let's play a game of Pai Sho!" he said, changing the topic completely. He produced a Pai Sho board seemingly out of thin air and placed it on the table between them.

"You want to play Pai Sho with me _now_?"

"Yes! I can seldom find another player that can last for more than twenty minutes against me. Also, that way you can hang around until your friend finishes playing, at which time you can escort her home and offer to carry her pipa."

Zuko swallowed and nodded in acquiesce.

"Fine."

A few hours later Katara must have finished her set because she walked past their table on her way out. Zuko was losing so badly he didn't even notice her approaching until she was right beside them.

"Hello Zuko." She said, surprised to see him.

"Oh, hi Katara."

"Zuko, aren't you going to introduce your friend to me?" injected Iroh.

"Right…" _This is my parole officer. I've been out of jail for a few weeks now. _That would go down well.

"I'm Zuko's Uncle." Said Iroh.

"What?!" exclained Zuko. Iroh kicked him under the table, "Oh right, yeah this is my Uncle Iroh." Said Zuko grumpily.

He was a terrible liar; Zuko could tell that this was going to explode in his face one day.

"Nice to meet you." Said Katara with a friendly smile.

"Nephew, why don't you escort your friend home, you will lose after your next turn anyway."

"Oh, that's fine I can walk home by myself-" said Katara,

"Nonsense! I insist!" replied Iroh.

Zuko just got up and snatched the Pipa case off Katara and started walking out.

"Bye _Uncle._" He said over his shoulder with a glare.

Iroh just waved back jauntily.

"You know I am capable of carrying that myself." Said Katara as they fell into step on the pavement outside. She sounded a little annoyed.

"I know that," said Zuko quickly, "But my uncle is really old fashioned so I'd probably never hear the end of it next time I see him if I didn't carry this for you."

"Oh. Okay." She seemed to accept that and they walked in companionable silence for a couple blocks.

"You know, your uncle's really nice," Said Katara, breaking the silence.

"What makes you say that?" asked Zuko, praying she wouldn't ask him a question he didn't know the answer to.

"He's there pretty much every Saturday I play there, and he's just really nice and friendly to everyone."

"That sounds like Iroh. What about your family Katara?" said Zuko hastily changing the subject.

"I haven't seen my family in a long time." She replied cryptically, twisting a piece of hair between her fingers.

They reverted back to silence for the remainder of their walk.

Finally they arrived at the alley where they first met.

"Are you working tonight?" asked Katara.

"Yeah I am. I work every day except Monday and Tuesday." Replied Zuko.

"I guess I'll see you here tonight then when you have your break?" she said looking up at him hopefully.

Zukp hesitated for a moment, before nodding. What the heck, his parole officer told him to make a friend, and Katara looked like she could use a friend just as much as he could.

"Okay, bye!" she darted forward and snatched the pipa case off him then ran back up the fire escape.

Zuko smiled to himself as he walked home.

* * *

_A/N Thanks to everyone who left feedback, I appreciate it and I hope you liked this chapter. I would also appreciate more feedback haha If you have any questions, ask away. :) The instrument that Katara plays is the same instrument that those crazy nomads play in the Cave of two Lovers. Sorry about any typos, this hasn't been proof read by anyone but me. Thanks. :)_


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